This invention relates to a combined ski lock and safety strap assembly and, in particular, to a safety strap that can be used in a conventional manner to secure a ski to the user's leg and thus prevent a runaway condition and, at the skier's option, used as a security device for locking various pieces of ski equipment to a fixed object such as a ski rack or the like.
The most pertinent prior art known to the applicant at the time of filing this application is embodied in the following United States patents:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,941,397; 3,826,510; 3,518,853; 3,354,675; 3,272,526.
Recently there has been a rapid growth in the sport of recreational skiing which is to a large extent due to the great advancements made in both ski equipment and skiing facilities. With improvement in equipment has come an increase in the cost of this equipment and, sadly to say, a rise in the amount of thievery that takes place when this equipment is left unattended.
Many devices have been developed in an attempt to prevent the theft of skis and poles. However, as evidenced by some of the above-noted patents, most of these devices involve locking mechanisms that must be carried on the skier's person when not in use. As a result, they pose a safety hazard in the event the skier experiences a fall. These devices also represent an added piece of inconvenient gear which oftentimes is forgotten or purposely left at home. Lastly, most of these security devices are relatively costly and are complex in their operation.
In the noted U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,510 patent a combined ski lock and safety strap assembly is disclosed wherein a cable is secured to the ski and the ends of the cable wound or looped a number of turns about the skier's leg before being united by means of a locking unit. The locking unit is provided with a two-position control mechanism which allows free release of the cable when it is placed in a first position and locks the ends of the cable together when placed in a second position. As can be seen, the lock can readily become fouled with ice and snow when used as safety strap thereby making it very difficult to remove from the user's leg. Similarly, the position of the control mechanism can be inadvertently changed due to a fall or the like which again make the safety strap difficult to remove. The relatively bulky lock must also be positioned against the user's leg and thus can cause bodily harm during a fall or a collision.